Osteoarthritis and bone loss are the two principal age related changes of the human skeleton. Even though these changes are considered inherent to aging, they may result in incapacitating ailments. The advanced cases of osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) produce severe restriction of movement associated with pain. Advanced bone loss may result in osteoporosis and frequent bone fractures. Most prominent are vertebral compression fractures and fractures of the femoral neck. The following skeletal sites are involved in the present study: hand-wrist, ulna and radius and vertebral column. This project deals with the epidemiological, genetic and longitudinal aspects of osteoarthritis and bone loss among (1) the participants of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study, (2) in a sample of normal Guamanians (Chamorros), (3) among patients afflicted with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Parkinsonism Dementia Complex of Guam.